Have you ever felt you are stuck making the same decisions over and over? Or wondered why some choices feel automatic while others feel impossible to change? Turns out, it might not be just willpower, it could be our genes.

Genes that regulate dopamine, like DBH and COMT, help shape how we think, plan, and adapt. They shape how we handle impulsivity, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and exploratory behavior, all of which are key to decision-making.

Why does this matter?

– If dopamine is not reabsorbed, old habits stick, making it tough to break patterns.

– If dopamine lingers too long, we struggle to learn new behaviors and keep repeating past choices, even bad ones.

– If dopamine clears too quickly, we may struggle with consistency and abandon behaviors too soon.

The good news?

Genes are not a life sentence. Awareness is power. When we understand our tendencies, we can build better habits, take control of our decisions, and shape the future we want.

I am not a hard scientist, but I am really interested in personal decision-making. If you want to explore more, below are some scientific articles to check out.

Dopamine & Behavioral Flexibility.

Distinct roles for dopamine clearance mechanisms in regulating behavioral flexibility – PMC

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8872990/…

COMT Gene & Decision-Making.

The effect of COMT Val158 Met genotype on decision-making and preliminary findings on its interaction with the 5-HTTLPR in healthy females

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18983999/…

If you are in the field of decision-making, I would love to hear your perspective on personal decision-making, and let’s connect!